Topic: What we Want From the Next DS Hand Held

[Kytim89]

while i agree with the idea of the numbs, sony did a poor job with the psp. the numb was not very well designed or placed on the device. i know nintendo can do better, but still i'd be concerned.

i'd love touch tech to be the point where the entire bottom part was a touch screen so controls and buttons could be placed on the screen as needed. i relaize there is a tactile loss by not having a physical button for your fingers to touch, but it would make for controls specific to the game.

yes yes and yes to the app store. i should be able to check facebook, twitter, etc. from my dsi. and if we had an app store both amazon  kindle and bn ebook readers could be ported over. (ebook is a txt format and will shape itself to the screen, doesn't need to be 'formatted')

and more importantly, i should be able to get my pikachu with the DSi even if i have left pearl at home.

the new opera is fast, and well made, so it would seem to me there is only a matter of time before that tech is translated to the dsi and wii.

i want the gamecube level graphics. current gen battery life. or better. i want online to be just a given, but don't force 3g subscription on me. especially AT&T. make the damn thing sync its calendar and notes with my computer, or google or yahoo, or something.

and since it will have GC graphics, i want metroid, starfox adventures and mario sunshine to be launch titles.

Yes to everything but the gamcube style graphics. I would prefer something like an upgrade N64 graphics or perhaps between that of N64 and Gamcube. Possibly PSone graphics with a touch screen. Overall I would want the device to be able to handle 3D better than the current DS, but not enough to have full graphics of the home consoles.
 
The reason for this is because of the PSP. To me the PSP is really no different than the PSonne and two. It has no identity of its own because it is basically these two consoles, while the DS does. Differentiating a handheld from a home console as much as possible is important because it is like buying the same thing over again, but being able to take it with you on the go.

[Kairon]

What I want from the DS2 is just as many, if not MOAR, 2D games.

[Mop it up]

What I want is the next Nintendo handheld to be a massive failure, so that all of those games come to Nintendo's home system.

...Sorry about that. I just don't like handhelds because they are uncomfortable, and the tiny bright screens hurt my eyes.

[Stratos]

What I want is the next Nintendo handheld to be a massive failure, so that all of those games come to Nintendo's home system.

...Sorry about that. I just don't like handhelds because they are uncomfortable, and the tiny bright screens hurt my eyes.

Have you tested a DSi XL? It's bigger screen might just be right up your alley.

[SixthAngel]

I simply don't want a DS 2.  I love the DS games I have now and haven't even finished them.  I can't think of reason to even pick up a ds 2.

[Kytim89]

I can probably speak for everyone when I say that the next DS handheld should have a virtual handheld service. Handheld consoles tht should be included in the service are:
 
Gameboy
Gameboy Color
Gameboy Advamce
Game and Watch
Atari Lynx
Neo Geo Pocket Color
Wonder Swan
Game Gear
Turbo Express
 
Second, the console should be able to handle 3D better than the current DS systems. This would be important for handheld iterations of games like Madworld, Dead Space and No More Heroes. If these games ever did come to the DS.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Well since you already agreed with the list I posted up

VC/Virtual Handheld tied to an online account (My Nintendo) not a specific DS2 unit.

it's already been mentioned.

But the next DS, if it uses Tegra, will be powerful enough to play all of the VC games too, so you should be able to swap your VC games back and forth. the only limiting factor would be if the DS2 has analog or enough buttons for N64 games.

[Kytim89]

I would like for the device to have N64 like graphics, but with the same contro,scheme of current DS systems.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The DS already has N64 graphics, just like the GBA had SNES graphics and the GB had NES graphics. The DS2 will be on the GC level witch is a small step away from Wii level graphics. Of course, by the time DS2 comes out (early 2011) Wii will probably be getting an upgrade too (late 2011) so the graphics will not be that close. But there is no way the DS2 is not getting a graphical upgrade, otherwise there wouldn't be much point to releasing an all new successor.

[Stratos]

I would like for the device to have N64 like graphics, but with the same contro,scheme of current DS systems.

The DS already has better than N64 graphics. I don't see why people are saying that the graphics should be limited in any way. I say make them as good as they can be (within reason). The system will have plenty of things to differentiate it from other systems if it is merely a more powerful DS so I don't think it will have the same issues as PSP in finding an audience. Touch controls and a microphone make it rather unique.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I think PSP's main problem wasn't that the graphics were PS2 level, it's that developers were just being lazy and porting over too many PS2 games that people had already owned and didn't want to play again. It was essentially a portable PS2 port machine full of games you would have to buy a second time to enjoy on the road.

A DS on GC/Wii level graphics would not have the same issue since the DS has many unique franchises that differ greatly from the console offerings.

[Kytim89]

I think PSP's main problem wasn't that the graphics were PS2 level, it's that developers were just being lazy and porting over too many PS2 games that people had already owned and didn't want to play again. It was essentially a portable PS2 port machine full of games you would have to buy a second time to enjoy on the road.

A DS on GC/Wii level graphics would not have the same issue since the DS has many unique franchises that differ greatly from the console offerings.

I agree with you on that notion. However, we are dealing with Nintendo here and they always find some way to cheat us on graphics. I just do not want gamecube style graphics for the nest hand held. Something between the N64 and gamecube would be better and yes, I know that the DS is a hand held N64, but ir can not handle full 3D, which is what I want for the next DS.

[Stratos]

What do you mean by full 3D? Zelda, Mario 64x4 and other games certainly look like they are 3D.

[Kytim89]

I was thinking a game like COP: the Recruit.

[Ian Sane]

I want to be able to play portable games on the TV if possible.  A portable is pretty much useless to me, I only buy one to get the exclusive games available on it.  But I find even then I neglect those games because I find playing them on a tiny little screen to be a huge pain in the ass.  To me playing on a portable is a damn chore and so each game has to be that much better to overcome that.  The GB Player was a godsend.  I want either something like that for the DS2 or something like the PSP where you can output the video to a TV.  If I need to look down to use the touchscreen, so be it, but if I don't, let me use a TV, please.

Other than that I would like full-backwards compatibility with ALL Nintendo portables.  Removing that on the DS was lame.  I don't know or care about the technical hurdles involved.  I want everything from Game Boy to DSi.  It's a wishlist so I can ask for that.

I want some sort of graphical update.  I think that's just to be expected.  Battery life needs to continue to be good.  And for the controls I want something designed with flexibility and practicality in mind.  Obviously the touch screen should stick around for backwards compatiblility but both the DS and the Wii seemed to have been designed by marketers wanting something that would attract attention, practical use being an afterthought.  The best DS games pretend the touchscreen doesn't exist and there's a reason for that.

I don't care at all about extra non-gaming features.  If Nintendo wants to provide that in a different SKU, fine, but I want a pure gaming-only option so I don't have to pay for extra **** I don't care about.

[Guitar Smasher]

I want it to do things the DS isn't capable of, game-wise.  I don't want it to be a port system (PSP), I want original content imagined for it.  And the battery life has to be very strong.

[Kairon]

Wanting it not to be a port system is one reason I don't want an analog nub...

[Kytim89]

Should the new system be able to use skype?

If the system is going to play movies then it will need bigger screens. Now if we want the device to be slim and compact, we probably can not go with screens the size of the DSi XL. However, if Nintendo did allow a movie player on the device, the would probably make it interactive like they did with music player on the DSi.

The next DS should have a radio player, one in which I can listen to my local radio stations. Would this be too expensive? The Zune and iphone both have apps for this, so why can't the next DS have on as well?

I have heard that there will SD cards called SDXC that go up to 1 TB from 32 GB and I was thinking that the next DS should be able to handle these cards for extra storage. However, a 32 GB SD card would still be enough for what ever gets released.

What would the motion sensing, if any, be like if it was included in the next DS system? It would be kind of akward and dangerous swing it around unless they made it something like the iphone.

What about built in rumble? Although this would probably eat up the battery life.

The battery life should double of that for current DS systems.

[Adrock]

and since it will have GC graphics, i want metroid, starfox adventures and mario sunshine to be launch titles.

You really want a bunch of 10 year old ports to be launch titles? I'd rather they resurrect Metroid Dread...

Anyway, I've read that the Tegra 2 is a little more powerful than the Wii. If DS2 uses it, graphics shouldn't be an issue, especially on smaller screens.

Rumble would be nice though it contributes to battery drain so an option to shut it off would also be nice.

[UltimatePartyBear]

I really like the idea of a gyroscope embedded into a thicker stylus. It would be interesting if you could then "plant" the stylus into the system and use it as an analog stick.

Are you talking about using tilt detection to replicate an analog stick?  That's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure if it would be responsive enough.  It reminds me of the old Gravis gamepads for PCs that had a stick you could screw in to the D-pad for a cheap digital joystick, but I think any stylus long enough to be useful as a stylus would be too long for a joystick, though it gives me another idea.  I've wondered about the possibility of an analog D-pad (I guess that would be an A-pad).  It would be pretty easy to make an attachable stick for something like that.  I've always figured that an A-pad would feel too mushy when used as a D-pad, but maybe there could be a physical stop that keeps it from moving very much for a sort of digital mode that gets disabled somehow when the stick is attached.


As for the waggle stylus idea, I see only two solutions to the power question.  Either it's wired to the system, which would also remove the need for wireless communication hardware in the stylus, or it has capacitors like all those miniature remote control cars and helicopters that recharge from the system and only last a matter of minutes.  I don't think either option is all that great.

Actually, come to think of it, there is a third option, but it requires making the stylus fully pen-sized so that real batteries would fit in it.  A couple of AAAs would fit in a fat pen, and maybe they could get a custom Lithium battery narrower than that.  That would be expensive, especially considering the majority of software for the thing would still probably only require an ordinary stylus.  It would also be impossible to fit such a big stylus in a slim case design.  It would probably be sold separately, which would make it even more niche.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Rumor or Confirmed: DS2 is coming and Dev kits are out
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=16688.msg586237#msg586237

likely more powerful than a Wii and has built in tilt controls.
This would go well with the Tegra 2 rumors and tilt makes sense.
Now lets hope for a 2x 4in 800x400 screens, one of which is multi-touch.

[Adrock]

I don't know if this has been mentioned and I'm too lazy to check, but glass screens would be awesome. No more of this shoddy plastic crap.

Better quality cameras (liquid camera lens, perhaps) and video chat. Oh Em Gee.

[Mop it up]

For those who say the DS has "Nintendo 64 quality graphics," that is debatable. It may look that way on the tiny DS screen, but expand that to a full television screen running at a resolution of 640x480, and it would become a pixelated mess. I doubt the framerate could remain stable with games running like that. Shrink down Nintendo 64 games and I'll bet they would run very smoothly on the tiny DS screen; the reduction in resolution would mean games would run at a better framerate. and the texture work would appear silky smooth.

Have you tested a DSi XL? It's bigger screen might just be right up your alley.

It looks better than any other handheld I've seen, but it still can't compare with a controller that has handles. It's also still holding what is essentially a light bulb in front of my face. I'd probably get one if it were cheap, but I don't know if that will ever happen.

[Kytim89]

If the DS 2 cartridges are the same size as the original DS, then Nintendo should just keep the same sized card slot that is back wards compatible with the old DS games and save them money and space on the handheld.

[Spinnzilla]

What would I like for the next DS? hmm...
 
How about a Star Fox or F-Zero game? 
 
A nice sized harddrive, SD card port, better wifi and an online gamer profile that isn't cumbersome. 
 
Skype would be nice, from playing a lot of WoW recently has shown me how awesome the service is. 
 
Because nintendo has the unwritten "only one installment per system" rule, especially when it comes to multiplayer centric affairs, they should really look into DLC to constantly give their game legs. 
 
Also, I want to be met in the middle with achievements.  While I think they do extend a game's shelf life a bit, I do think they're a lazy way to do so.  How about making the games have less achievements but they unlock something gamewise like an extra skin or new kart, but still have a composite overall score that can be viewed by other gamers.    Hell, just make our score coins or stars or something nintendo-y.
 
Also, open pricing on the games/apps.  No reason why I should pay 2 bucks for a animal crossing skinned clock. 
 
Mii's are awesome.  Please keep/use those.
 
Last but most important... HAVE BUTTONS!